nations (David and Warford 1993). Incompetent management of water resources is
the major urban environmental problems looming developing economies. Earth’s
surface is covered by 70% of water but only 1% of its water is available as fresh
drinking water. Being a finite resource, water should be preserved and utilized
efficiently. But studies show that there is an increasing trend in water pollution
(Schwarzenbach et al. 2010; Ambast et al. 2006). Every day, sewage and industrial
waste to the extent of 2 million tons are discharged into the world’s water
(UN WWAP 2003). In developing countries, 70% of industrial wastes are disposed
into the water where they contaminate existing water supplies (UNESCO 2009).
Further, surface water is tainted with heavy metals, persistent organic pollutants,
nutrients, and nitrates that harm health. Climate change also affects the availability
and quality of water required for basic human needs, thus undermining the basic
rights to safe drinking water (World Water Development Report 2020). The linkage
between water quality and public health is well established (Koonan and Khan 2010;
Tyagi 2009). The disposal of untreated or partly treated industrial and municipal
sewage into water bodies or on land results in water pollution (Bhullar 2013; Chaplin
2011). This has a very serious impact on drinking water quality. A broader understanding of the health and water sector implies that water-borne diseases are mostly
linked to insufficient sanitation (Coleman 2011). Therefore the issue of water
contamination can only be addressed if sanitation, health, and environment are
considered as its intrinsic components.
According to a Lancet report on pollution and health (2017), worldwide an
estimated 1.8 million people died because of polluted water in the year 2015 and
out of which 0.64 million from India alone. Composite Water Management Index
(2018), claims that 70% of water supply in India is contaminated resulting in
approximately 0.2 million deaths every year and the nation has been ranked way
below at 120th place among 122 countries in the water quality index. These figures
highlight the fact that the magnitude of the water pollution problem is significantly
high in India. In particular, the incidence of water contamination is higher in urban
areas (India Infrastructure Report 2011). The major source of water pollution in India
is ascribed to the discharge of untreated waste from commercial institutions, dumping of industrial waste matter, and run-off from agricultural fields. Some of the other
reasons being leaky water pipe joints in areas where the water pipe and sewage line
pass close together. In some cases, water gets polluted at the source due to the inflow
of sewage into the source (Chakraborty et al. 2004). Surface and groundwater
pollution pose a severe threat to mankind due to its unswerving impact on human
health. Moreover, Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target 6.1 calls for
all-inclusive access to safe and affordable drinking water (WHO 2019). India, as a
signatory to the SDGs needs to work out its priorities to achieve the target by 2030.
In consideration of the facts and figures, the study aims to assess the impact of water
pollution on human health in India.
392
J. V. Arun and A. Premkumar
the major urban environmental problems looming developing economies. Earth’s
surface is covered by 70% of water but only 1% of its water is available as fresh
drinking water. Being a finite resource, water should be preserved and utilized
efficiently. But studies show that there is an increasing trend in water pollution
(Schwarzenbach et al. 2010; Ambast et al. 2006). Every day, sewage and industrial
waste to the extent of 2 million tons are discharged into the world’s water
(UN WWAP 2003). In developing countries, 70% of industrial wastes are disposed
into the water where they contaminate existing water supplies (UNESCO 2009).
Further, surface water is tainted with heavy metals, persistent organic pollutants,
nutrients, and nitrates that harm health. Climate change also affects the availability
and quality of water required for basic human needs, thus undermining the basic
rights to safe drinking water (World Water Development Report 2020). The linkage
between water quality and public health is well established (Koonan and Khan 2010;
Tyagi 2009). The disposal of untreated or partly treated industrial and municipal
sewage into water bodies or on land results in water pollution (Bhullar 2013; Chaplin
2011). This has a very serious impact on drinking water quality. A broader understanding of the health and water sector implies that water-borne diseases are mostly
linked to insufficient sanitation (Coleman 2011). Therefore the issue of water
contamination can only be addressed if sanitation, health, and environment are
considered as its intrinsic components.
According to a Lancet report on pollution and health (2017), worldwide an
estimated 1.8 million people died because of polluted water in the year 2015 and
out of which 0.64 million from India alone. Composite Water Management Index
(2018), claims that 70% of water supply in India is contaminated resulting in
approximately 0.2 million deaths every year and the nation has been ranked way
below at 120th place among 122 countries in the water quality index. These figures
highlight the fact that the magnitude of the water pollution problem is significantly
high in India. In particular, the incidence of water contamination is higher in urban
areas (India Infrastructure Report 2011). The major source of water pollution in India
is ascribed to the discharge of untreated waste from commercial institutions, dumping of industrial waste matter, and run-off from agricultural fields. Some of the other
reasons being leaky water pipe joints in areas where the water pipe and sewage line
pass close together. In some cases, water gets polluted at the source due to the inflow
of sewage into the source (Chakraborty et al. 2004). Surface and groundwater
pollution pose a severe threat to mankind due to its unswerving impact on human
health. Moreover, Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target 6.1 calls for
all-inclusive access to safe and affordable drinking water (WHO 2019). India, as a
signatory to the SDGs needs to work out its priorities to achieve the target by 2030.
In consideration of the facts and figures, the study aims to assess the impact of water
pollution on human health in India.
392
J. V. Arun and A. Premkumar